Middlesbrough set for Nathan Wood boost amid latest Southampton, Swansea City transfer update | OneFootball

The defender holds the record for the youngest player to ever play for Boro.

Middlesbrough are believed to have a "very healthy" sell-on clause for Swansea City defender Nathan Wood, as per the Northern Echo, who appears to be edging closer to a move to Southampton.

The Saints are back again to try and sign Wood. Swansea were able to rebuff two separate £10 million offers last summer, but things are said to be at a more advanced stage now.

Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider has reported that the 22-year-old is set to hold talks with Southampton and that a medical is set to take place on the south coast.

Russell Martin's attempts to bring in yet another young defender have been made clear this summer, as well as his desire to work with known entities, as Wood is to him.

The Saints are also believed to be interested in Peterborough United centre-back Ronnie Edwards, according to talkSPORT's Alex Crook.

Middlesbrough to profit from prospective Nathan Wood, Southampton deal

Wood left Boro to join Swansea two summers ago. He only cost the Welsh side £400,000, as per the BBC. As part of that deal, the Northern Echo reported that they have a "very healthy" sell-on clause that could bring in a lot of money for the club.

The figure that Southampton are offering this time around isn't known, but considering last year's rejected proposals, it would be fairly safe to suggest that they may be offering a fee that is north of the £10 million mark.

Wood, who is the youngest player to ever play a professional game for Boro, having made his debut at just 16 years and 72 days old, is someone that City boss Luke Williams has previously admitted could be moved on this summer, due to the value that he currently holds.

The 22-year-old only has a year left on his current deal.

"There’s an obvious conclusion to be drawn there, that this might be the correct moment [to sell] because it makes sense all round maybe," said Williams, as per the Echo.

"We are not going to be advertising that there is a sale on, half-price, come and get him because he is an unreal player - we love him to pieces. But the situation that presents itself [means] it’s plausible that [a transfer] will happen."

Middlesbrough are set up for success this season

With three new permanent faces through the doors at the Riverside (Luke Ayling, Delano Burgzorg and Aidan Morris), and no departures of any key players, it's been a swimmingly good summer so far for the Teesiders.

They didn't get going quick enough last season, which ultimately came back to bite them at the end of the term when they ran out of games to catch and overtake any of the top six.

The disappointing play-off run, the losses of Chuba Akpom and Cameron Archer and all the new additions they made last summer came together to cause this stuttering in the early stages of the 2023/24 campaign.

There have been additions again this time round, but th squad is in a much more stable place.